Crash Into Me Chapter 1, an austin & ally fanfic

"Nice bike, Dirtson."

Dirtson. That was a new one. People usually called me Dorkson, so this new insult was almost like a breath of fresh air.

I rolled my eyes in response to the boy who was nearly on the ground, laughing at his cleverness. I looked down at my bike that the boy had just insulted. I really couldn't blame him; the thing was a piece of crap. But as my father always reminds me: it's my piece of crap and I should be grateful that I don't have to walk to school every day. Sometimes I thought that it would almost be better to walk to school. The piece of junk didn't have a kickstand and the once bright, cherry red bike was nearly rusted to the bone. Sometimes I feared for my safety while riding it, praying that it wouldn't give out at the worst possible moment, like in the middle of a street.

I rolled my bike up to my high school's bike racks, which were really just two long metal poles stuck in the ground. The rack was nearly full of shiny bikes resting on their kickstands and chained to the pole with fancy bike locks. People locked up their bikes so someone wouldn't steal it; I didn't have to worry about that. No one in their right mind would steal my bike. No one would want to be caught dead on it. I was about to lean my bike against the bike on the end of the rack like I always did, but the owner, who was a few feet away texting on his phone glanced over and gave me a dirty look as if to say "Don't you dare let that piece of junk touch my bike."

I rolled my eyes and threw my bike against the ground. It came to a rest pathetically next to the bike racks, looking like a wounded veteran dead next to a row of shiny new soldiers. I shouldered my backpack and prepared myself to walk through the front doors of the high school building. I glanced at my watch.

"Oh shoot!" I gasped aloud as I realized I had two minutes to make it to class. I hadn't even heard the warning bell ring. I dashed through the doors and through the hallway, watching as the seconds ticked by on my watch. I had ten seconds to make it down the last hallway to my history class.

5. 4. 3. 2…

Right when it struck 7:45 and the bell rung, I was at the door, but so was Mr. Johns, my history teacher, a tardy slip already in his hand. I sighed and took the slip. When I reached my desk in the back, I stuffed it into the front pouch of my backpack with the rest of the collection of bright pink slips.

Of course I was late. I always was. No matter how hard I tried, I was always late to school. I blamed my Dad. If he would just wake up a little bit earlier and offer to drive me to school, I could actually be on time for once. But no. He always claimed that his job as a contractor tired him out and he had to sleep as much as he could. I knew that wasn't true. He hardly got any clients, so he hardly ever worked. He spends his nights playing poker and smoking and drinking with his buddies. Maybe if he didn't gamble so much we could actually afford to get a few things, like a new bike. But of course not. He gambles away all our money and complains to me the day after that we are flat broke.

A&A

By the time lunch rolled around, I just wanted to go home. I went through the lunch line, picking things that I hoped would be edible, like a turkey sandwich, macaroni and cheese, and chocolate milk. I got to the cashier and swiped my lunch card. The lady twisted her face and tapped something on the screen.

"Swipe it again for me, hun."

I sighed and swiped my card again. The lady kept tapping away at the screen.

"Sorry, hun," she said, finally looking up at me. "Looks like you don't have any money in your account."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Dad had promised me he'd set aside money so I could get lunch. I looked down at my tray, unsure of what to do. I looked back up at the cashier, who just gave me a blank stare. My stomach growled, and I opened my mouth to give the lady an excuse, but someone behind me in line yelled out: "You're holding up the line, Dorkson!" Heat rushed to my cheeks as I rushed away from the cashier, leaving my tray behind.

I hurried to a table in the very back corner of the cafeteria and buried my head in my arms. I couldn't bring this up with my dad; he'd just yell at me about how money is tight and yammer on about how hard he "works" to put a roof over our heads.

A tray clanking on the table across from me caused me to pick my head up at the sudden noise. Trish, my best/only friend, plopped into the seat across from me.

"Where's your lunch?" She asked, already digging into her salad. My stomach growled, reminding me how hungry I was.

"Turns out dad never put money in my account." I replied, resting my chin in my hands.

Trish gave me a sympathetic look. She picked up an apple off her tray and held it out.

"Thanks," I said sheepishly. I hated accepting help from anyone, but my stomach screamed at me to take the food.

"So you'd never believe what I heard in my English class!" Trish launched into her usual gossip as I bit into the apple.

"What?"

"So apparently, according to Tiffany, who heard from Rachel, who heard from Chloe, who heard from Brittany… Austin and Kira broke up!"

Trish looked at me expectantly, expecting me to be as excited about this piece of juicy gossip as she was, but honestly I wasn't surprised. Kira never lasted very long with anyone. She flitted from boy to boy as she pleased, leaving a wake of broken hearts, but she didn't care. All she cared about was what guy would make her more popular. I actually felt bad for Austin. He was a nice guy. Oh who am I kidding? Austin is beyond nice. He's flawless. Everybody loves him. He's the star of the baseball team, president of the student battle, and he probably has the best grades in the whole senior class. I had no doubt that he'd be valedictorian. Plus he's rich. Like extremely rich. His dad is some executive CEO. He never talks about his family's wealth, but everybody knows. On top of all that, he's gorgeous. Perfect blonde hair, perfect smile, perfect everything. Guys envied him, girls fawned over him. Kira was the first girl he had ever asked to be his girlfriend, a title any girl would kill for.

"Wow. It's only been like a week, right?" I asked.

Trish nodded. "Word is that Kira's cheating on him with Dallas."

I raised my eyebrows. "Wow. That must sting. They weren't very serious, were they?"

"I don't think so. Tiffany said that Kira was complaining that he wouldn't kiss her before their first date, which I guess never happened."

I nodded and turned my attention back to my apple. I spent the rest of lunch tuning out Trish's mindless gossip.

A&A

After school, a fine mist was falling from the sky as I walked to the bike rack. I pulled my hood up over my head and lifted my bike from the ground, where it rested in a puddle of mud. Great. I got a tissue out of my backpack and wiped off the seat. Then I got on and started peddling home.

I zoned out most of the way home, but I was snapped out of my haze when a car swerved in front of me as I crossed the street. I slammed on the brakes, which barely slowed me down, and managed to avoid hitting the back of the black SUV, but I was thrown off balance and crashed to the curb into a puddle of mud.

"Jerk!" I yelled at the car as it sped away. I groaned as the mud seeped into the left side of my sweatshirt. I got up and tried to wipe myself off, but the mist was starting to turn into a sprinkle and just made my efforts useless. My knee burned from kitting the curb, but I ignored it as I got back onto my bike, using my anger as power to pedal. I finally stopped fuming by the time I got home.

Home. I would use that term loosely to describe the place where I live. I wouldn't describe the tiny apartment above a taco shop home. No. A home doesn't smell like cigar smoke, or have beer bottles covering every surface. A home isn't permanently inhabited with pedophiliac old men that are always fixed around the folding card table. This isn't home. This is simply a place where I'm living until I can move out and make my own life.

I park my bike under the metal stairs that lead to the apartment. I looked in the side window of the taco shop and saw Ben, my favorite person at the taco shop, mopping the floors. I knocked on the window and waved. He gave me a big smile and waved back. As I began to climb the stairs, I could already hear the yelling. When I opened the door, my nose was assaulted with the thick smell of smoke. I coughed and waved away the haze.

My dad sat at the card table with three other men that I had seen a couple times before. He didn't look up from his game, but he put up his finger, signaling me to wait at the door. He pushed a stack of chips to the middle of the table and got out of his seat. He grabbed a folder off the counter and headed towards me.

"I need you," he slurred, obviously slightly drunk, "to take this to the Moon's house."

He shoved the folder into my hands. My mouth went dry. The Moon's house. As in where Austin Moon lives.

"Um, what is this?" I asked, trying to stall.

"It's an estimate. They want some work done and I told them I'd have an estimate sent to them by tonight."

"Then shouldn't you be delivering this yourself?"

Dad glared at me and pointed to the poker game. "I'm busy."

I gulped and backed out the door. "Ok, fine."

I rushed down the stairs and grabbed my bike. I stuffed the packet in my backpack and got on my bike. The rain had luckily let up. It was a ten minute ride to the neighborhood where the Moons live, and I spent every minute running possible scenarios through my head. I imagined Austin looking at me in disgust in my muddy sweatshirt. I imagined him telling the whole school that my dad was a low-life contractor. I was so nervous that I nearly past their house.

Now when I said that Austin was rich, I wasn't joking. He lives in a giant mansion that has a big gate at the entrance. I stared lamely at the gate, not sure what to do. Finally I realized that there was a callbox on the left. I pushed the button and waited.

"No soliciting." A woman's voice said on the other end.

I pushed the button to respond, "Um, I'm not selling anything. I have the estimate from Lester Dawson of Dawson's Contracting."

There was a long pause. "Ok, bring it up. Please keep your bike off the grass."

There was a beep and suddenly the gates opened. I walked through them and up the winding driveway. When I reached the house, I stood and stared for a moment. It was beautiful. It was probably the nicest house I'd ever seen. I lamely set my bike down in the drive way and walked up to the front door. Right when I rang the doorbell a woman flung the door open. I jumped back.

Standing in front of me was a tall, slender woman in a pinstripe dress suit. She looked very professional and I was slightly intimidated.

"Umm-I-" I stammered.

The lady looked me over, her eyes lingering on my mud-stained sweatshirt and my hair that clung to my face awkwardly, and held her finger up.

"Wait here, I'll get Mrs. Moon."

She closed the door and left me standing there. That wasn't Mrs. Moon? Then I realized I shouldn't have been so surprised. Of course they probably had a house staff.

The door opened again and a friendly looking blonde woman stood before me. She smiled at me.

"Are you delivering the estimate?" She asked, her voice as sweet as sugar.

I shook myself out of my thoughts.

"Oh! Yes!"

I took my backpack off of my shoulder and dug around for the folder. Mrs. Moon peered over my shoulder and saw my bike laying in the driveway.

"Oh dear! Did you bike all the way here?" She put her hand over her heart.

Heat rushed to my cheeks. "Um, yes, ma'am."

"You must be so tired! Plus it's been raining! Your poor dear! Please, come inside!"

Holding out the folder, I shook my head. "Oh really ma'am, I'm fi-"

Before I could finish my sentence, the sound of crushing metal filled the air. I whipped around to see my bike squashed under the tire of a shiny silver Jeep. I gasped along with Mrs. Moon.

"My bike!" I screeched.

The driver's door opened and a familiar head of blonde hair exited.

"AUSTIN MONICA MOON!" Mrs. Moon yelled.

The color drained from my face as I watched Austin went around the front of his car and looked at the remains of my pathetic bike squashed like a bug under his tire. He turned around and locked eyes with me. Tears flooded to my eyes. I turned around and shoved the folder into Mrs. Moon's hand. She looked at me with sympathy.

"Do you need a ride hom-"

I couldn't respond. Austin was saying something and walking towards me, but tears clouded my vision. I was so embarrassed that I could have dropped dead right there.

I couldn't just stand there. So I ran.

A&A

Hey guys! So this is my new story that I've been working on for a long time. Sorry I haven't worked on You Are In Love in forever, I just haven't had any inspiration for that for a long time. Plus I've just had so many story ideas that I can't force myself to work on it.